Nothing More
by Randshian
Summary: f/f romance. Aviendha, Elayne and a different kind of comfort.


  
**Author's Notes**: A ficlet I was inspired to write by a discussion on Aviendha and Aiel sexuality. I'm not a fan of Rand having his trio. It would be best if he stayed with Min and let Aviendha and Elayne find happiness with each other. I've never been convinced of Elayne's love for Rand. After all, they only spent a few days together. Aviendha is my favourite of the trio and I'd hate to see her neglected as Rand obviously prefers Min to the other two. 

And yes, I know Aviendha and Elayne haven't been portrayed as bisexual in the books…yet. Jordan doesn't seem to object to the idea if you think of Aiel sister-wives, hints at closeness between the Maidens and in Winter's Heart the confirmation of one lesbian couple. 

Feedback would be greatly appreciated. I'm interested in finding out what WOT fans think of this kind of story. 

A final warning: this is slash. Lesbian romance. Don't read if you don't like the idea. 

... 

Now go away if you are an uninformed, prejudiced bigot. No one's forcing you to read this. Flames will not convince me that homosexuality is wrong.   


**Nothing More**   


Aviendha was sitting on the floor, her back straight and body still. Her eyes followed Elayne as the Daughter-Heir completed yet another walk from one end of the room to the other. Elayne did not speak as she walked. Occasionally she tossed her head back, frowning, or wrung her hands. Aviendha though it best to let the other woman continue for a while longer. She had learned it was wisest to allow Elayne her moods. Servants who were foolish enough to interrupt her received only haughty disdain. 

Aviendha did not drop her eyes from Elayne, but her fingers started to trace the pattern of embroidery on her dress. It was blue silk and felt rather nice, even though it restricted her movement. Elayne had given it to her, smiling as she said how good the colour would look on her. Aviendha could not bring herself to refuse the gift, not with Elayne smiling. There were still a few Aiel in Caemlyn, she had heard, and she shuddered to think of the humiliation should one of her former spear-sisters see her in this soft wetlander's dress. 

Elayne had stopped in the middle of the room for another toss of her head, and made a small sound. She resumed her walk after muttering something Aviendha could not quite make out. 

Even while upset her first-sister was beautiful. In her heart, Aviendha held Elayne as a sister already. She did not want to think of how long it might be until they found the Wise Ones for the ceremony. If she met another Aiel she wanted to be able to say:" This is Elayne, my sister," and have no one contest her right to sit next to Elayne, and to witness no wondering looks as she went to Elayne's room and locked the door for the night. 

Aviendha was surprised to find how important the last had become to her and how she looked forward to eventually sharing a room with her sister. Even now she would sometimes be invited by Elayne to her room, where they would spend long hours talking about everything possible. Aviendha still found the bed in her own room too soft, and would often spend the night on the floor. It reminded her of when she was a Maiden and had to find sleep in the moments between battle. She had stayed on Elayne's floor when she had been too tired to return to her room. She felt comfortable so near to her dearest first-sister. Sometimes, though, it was not so comfortable, as Aviendha found herself staring at the Daughter-Heir as she undressed and then spent half the night awake, unable to rest or do anything but go over every detail again and again. 

"Oh, that man!" Aviendha's attention was again caught by Elayne, who was no longer pacing but sitting on her bed. She did not look furious now, but…defeated. "He must know I'm here. It's been long enough for a rider to have gone to Caerhien and back." 

"He must be busy. The wetlanders cannot be trusted, and he must fight to keep them from turning on him," Aviendha offered. Elayne did not seem comforted. 

"The Dragon Reborn could surely afford to spend an hour away from them. He can Travel. " Elayne closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I must face it. I am Aes Sedai and will be Queen of Andor. What will become of me if I cannot stand rejection from one young man? It is over, if there anything was between us." 

"No, Elayne, you must be wrong." Aviendha stood up and walked swiftly to the bed, sitting next to Elayne. " He will come. He loves you. How could he not love you? How could anyone not…" She did not finish, feeling strangely shy for some reason. 

Elayne sighed again. "I barely even knew him." She paused, a look of sadness on her face. "I don't know what he likes, how he spends his time, what he feels about being fated to die. I just thought he was wonderful, and made me feel so dizzy. I wanted to be with him." 

Aviendha could think of nothing to say. She did not know how to be open, how to speak of her emotions as easily as the wetlanders did. She hesitated for a moment before putting her hand on Elayne's shoulder. 

"It's been so long since I saw him. " Elayne fell silent, and then surprised Aviendha by embracing her fiercely. The Aiel woman could feel her trembling slightly. "It won't work. It won't…" 

Aviendha tried desperately to think of something, anything to say. She wanted to make Elayne feel better, but the words would not come. 

Elayne eased the embrace a little and looked at Aviendha. She smiled at her, and whatever Aviendha had thought to say vanished from her mind. "I know you. You feel sorry for me. But I can't avoid this. I have to be a woman now, not a foolish girl sighing because a boy kissed her a few times. It can't be." Elayne was again silent for a moment. "I just wish someone will love me one day. But it might all soon end…" 

Now Aviendha was the one to initiate the embrace. "Don't think you aren't loved," she whispered. She wanted to speak, but she didn't know what to say. She pushed Elayne away from her and opened her mouth, but froze again. Moments passed. Aviendha was aware of the awkwardness of the situation, and of the insistent longing inside her. Just before Elayne would have spoken and shattered her courage Aviendha leaned close to kiss her. 

She did not move, but merely kept her lips on Elayne's. The other woman was stunned and tense. Aviendha suspected that Elayne's eyes were still open. Her courage vanished and she pulled away. 

Elayne was staring at her, blushing. Her fingers trembled as she touched her mouth. Aviendha did not know what to do. Inside her despair was rising. 

Then Elayne leaned forward to touch her cheek. Aviendha gasped at the feel and drew Elayne into her arms again. This time she waited until Elayne's eyes closed before kissing her. 

Elayne did not move away from her and this encouraged Aviendha to deepen the kiss. When she still was not pushed away she dared to move her hands to the front of Elayne's red dress, tracing the patterns on it with care. There was more embroidery on Elayne's dress than hers and it took some time before Aviendha was done with her task. By then she and Elayne were no longer sitting and the Daughter-Heir's own hands had begun to move on her body, growing bolder with every moment. 

Aviendha would talk with Elayne later. With this encouragement she could find it in her to say what she felt. Right now she was simply too happy to think of stopping. Words would have to wait. There was nothing more important to her than Elayne in her arms, smiling and holding her close.   



End file.
